Ricardo Knowledge launches online benchmarking reports and training

The recently launched Ricardo Knowledge eStore enables customers to access the company’s most recent commercially available benchmarking reports – as well as to participate in Ricardo’s first web-delivered training course.

Ricardo is one of the world’s most trusted providers of objective and informed technical information on the very latest vehicles and powertrain concepts. While many manufacturers maintain their own in-house ‘tear-down’ operations in which they review the latest products to hit the market, few can do so with the objectivity of a fully independent, highly skilled and international engineering team such as Ricardo’s. For this reason customers have long valued Ricardo benchmarking reports for their thorough and impartial technical perspectives. In order to expand the reach of this service and make these reports available to a much wider market, Ricardo Knowledge is now placing all new commercially available reports on its eStore (http://estore.ricardo.com).

“Competitor product evaluation is an important part of any modern, globally focused product development organization,” commented Glen Hall, manager, Ricardo Knowledge. “Ricardo’s benchmarking activity enables customers to obtain an independent, impartial and objective evaluation of competitor products at considerably less cost than carrying out the work for themselves. Using the new reports added to the Ricardo Knowledge eStore, customers will be able to judge the competitiveness of their own products. Crucially, for the first time we will also be making available individual sections covering key engine sub-systems, as an alternative to purchasing the complete report.”

The first two reports to be made fully available via the Ricardo Knowledge eStore are on Ford's new award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost in-line 3-cylinder gasoline engine, and the Volkswagen 1.2-litre BlueMotion in-line 3-cylinder turbocharged DI diesel. Further items will be added shortly, covering both new benchmarking projects and the previous catalogue of reports that remain relevant to today’s market.

Online engine course launched One of Ricardo’s most popular classroom-style courses has long been its ‘Internal Combustion Engines – Basic’ training. This course is ideal for those who do not necessarily have an engineering background, for example HR, finance or purchasing professionals, but whose day-to-day work is associated with the automotive industry. In all cases, the course aims to equip delegates with a basic level of awareness of engine technology and the self-confidence to communicate effectively with engine engineers through an understanding of some of the more commonly used technical terms.

“Given its extremely broad appeal we have chosen to make ‘Internal Combustion Engines – Basic’ available as an online eLearning package via the Ricardo Knowledge eStore,” explains Hall. “It’s available both as an individual eLearning package but we can also offer site wide licenses for companies who have large numbers of employees who will benefit from the course. As such, this highly effective basic level engine training course can be delivered on demand to customers anywhere in the world.”

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